Canada’s merchandise trade surplus with the world widened to $5.1 billion in April from $4.8 billion in March, Statistics Canada said today.

The agency says companies exported $36.4 billion worth of merchandise, up 0.3%.

At the same time, they imported merchandise worth $31.3 billion, a 0.5% decline.

Exports to the United States edged down 0.4%, and imports rose 0.2% as the trade surplus with Canada’s largest trading partner narrowed to $8.2 billion.

Exports to the rest of the world were up 3.2%, while imports fell 1.9%.

That resulted in Canada’s deficit with countries outside the United States narrowing to $3.1 in April billion from $3.5 billion in March.